On Sunday, 8 September Darden celebrated its annual Global Food Festival organized by the Global Business and Culture Club (GBCC) and sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs and Center for Global Initiatives. This year, 24 teams of Darden students signed up to prepare and share food from their country or region of origin; 21 of these teams represented different countries around the world. Over 550 people attended the Global Food Festival and had the opportunity to vote for their overall favorite table. China won the popular vote, with Chile and Brazil coming in second and third place, respectively. “Undercover” faculty judges also attended the event to rank their top choices for best food, best decorations and best traditional attire. The winners were:
Best Food – Georgia (Caucasian Region)
Best Decoration – China
Best Traditional Attire – Thailand and China
Global Food Festival also included several song, dance and talent performances by Darden students, including bollywood dancing and Chinese martial arts, among others. Julie Calderon Benavente (Class of 2020), president of GBCC who organized this year’s event, shared her appreciation for Darden’s annual Global Food Festival event:
“I love the Global Food Festival because it gives Darden students the opportunity to showcase their different cultures and come together in this big celebration. For me, there is no better way to integrate our community than with food from around the world, traditional costumes and amazing performances.”
